Swimming pool cleaning aid



23, 1965 M. D. WINSTON ETAL 3,170,180

SWIMMING POOL CLEANING AID 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 14, 1963 w 5. N5BN0, wmmm 0 0% -4 mm w may/M.

Feb. 23, 1965 M. D. WINSTON ETAL SWIMMING POOL CLEANING AID Filed Jan.14, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 1NVENTOR5 c/Zwm A STEP/ENS M. D. WINSTON ETAL3,170,180

SWIMMING POOL CLEANING AID Feb. 23, 1965 Filed Jan. 14, 1963 3Sheets-Sheet 3 United States Patent 3,170,180 SWE IMING POOL CLEANINGAID Milton D. Winston andlohn A. Stephens, Pasadena, Califi,assignors,iby direct andirnesne. assignments, to Marengo Inventions,Inc., a corporation of California Filed Jan. 14, 1963, Ser. No. 251,098

18 Claims. (Cl. 15-1.7)

from both the bottom and side walls of swimming poolsinvolvesconsiderable expense, since such cleaning is required at regularintervals and is both laborious and time consuming. This expense andwork involved in pool maintenance has, in the past, proven considerablydiscounaging to prospective, purchasers ofpool installations. Hence,pool owners and builders have. long recognized the need for poolcleaningaids to reduce the time, labor and expense of such poolmaintenance...

In recent years, automatic cleaning aids for swimming pools. havebeendeveloped in which accumulated scum and dirt are cleaned from the wallsof a pool by the action of a high pressure water spray. issuing from adischarge nozzle attached to the end of a flexible hose. The flexiblehose is submerged inthe pool water and is pendently. supported by afloat on the water'surface.

and discharge nozzle causes the hose to writhe with a sinuous motion andthereby constantly reposition the high pressure water spray adjacentdifferent portions of the" pool surface in the vicinity of thesupporting float. Means are usually also provided for moving the floatand thereby conveyingv the hos-e to diflerent sectionsof the pool.

While automatic pool cleaning raids of. the aforementioned type arebasically sound in principle, such devices have not proven entirelysatisfactory. underyall, conditions. effective area of the pool,covered:by the writhing hose is rather critically dependent upon theguidedmovement of the hose supporting float from point, tov point aboutthe inner periphery of the. pool- 'Such problems take on even greatersignificance inextrer'nely large pools, pools having ratherdeeplyrecessed contours, and those having relatively sharp corner bends.Inasuch instances, the hose supporting float tends to follow a pathwhich bypasses various sections of the pool, with the consequent resultthat the flexible hose will failto clean those portions of the submergedsurface area of the pool in the vicinity of'the bypassed sections. Thesebypassed areas The passage of water under pressure through the flexiblehose In this connection, experience has, shown that the must be cleaned,however, and this-can usually be done I shape, such mechanisms havegenerally provento be a. compromise, at best, and arecomplex, expensive,rather inconvenient to install, and often require adjustment.

Additional difficulties encountered with such automatic pool cleaningaids have been the tendency for the guiding mechanism to jam or bind atcorners or the like until manually released, the inability to circumventvarious poolobstructions such as ladders and the like, and the V v35170380 Patented Feb. 23, 1965 lice tendency for floats jarred awayfrom the pool periphery toremain away from the sides of the pool.

Accordingly, itisv an object of the present invention to provide a newand improved swimming pool cleaning aid which overcomes the above andother disadvantages of the prior art.

Another object is to provide new and improved means for automaticallyremoving accumulated foreign matter from all submerged pool surfaces anddispersing such foreign matter in the water for subsequent removal by afiltering system.

A further object of this invention is the provision of lmproved meansfor guiding portions of; a pool cleaning aid accurately along the entireinner periphery of the pool, whereby bypassing of portions of thesubmerged aid embodying positioning means with greater resistance.

to being jarred away from the sides of the pool and which, if dislodged,will automatically return to a position abutting the sides of the pool.

A still further object is to" provide a new and improved swimming poolcleaning aid which is relatively simple to install, requires virtuallyno adjustment, andwill automatically accommodate itself to pools of anysize and shape.

The above and other objects and advantages of this invention will bebetter understood by reference to the following detailed description,when considered in con-' nection with the accompanying drawings of anillustrative embodiment thereof, and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a swimming pool containing the poolcleaning aid of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view, taken along the line 22 in FIGURE 1, andillustr'ates the manner in which each submerged flexible hose issupported by afloat;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective "view of the discharge nozzle installed at theunsupported end of each submerged;

hose;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view, taken along the line 44 of FIGURE. 1, andillustrates'the construction; of

the stationary float used with the cleaning aid of the pres entinvention;

FIGURE '5 is a fragmentary elevational view, looking inthe direction ofthe arrow 5 in FIGURE 1, and illustrates a portion of the means forpreventing entanglement of the hoses;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view, taken' along the line 6-6 d1! FIGURES, andillustrates the angularorienta tion of the reaction nozzle installed inone of the conduits;

FIGURE 7 is a sectional View, taken along the line 77 in FIGURE 5, andillustrates the flotation chamber.

construction embodied by] some of the conduits;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary sectional view, taken substantially along theline 8-8 in FIGURE 5, and illustrates the manner in which a conduitembodying flotation chambers may be coupled to a conduit which does notembody such chambers, Without loss-of air from the flotation chambers;

FIGURE 9 is an elevational view, portions being shown in section, of theguide float system which moves'along the inner periphery of the pool;

FIGURE 10 is a plan view, partially in section and taken along the line10 in FIGURE 9, and further illustrates the details of the guide floatsystem;

FIGURE 11 is a fragmentary elevational view, looking in the direction ofthe arrow 11 in FIGURE 10, and shows the angular orientation of thereaction nozzles used for rotating the guide float;

FIGURE 12 is a fragmentary sectional view, taken along the line 1212 inFIGURE 10, and illustrates the nozzle construction near the center ofthe guide float;

FIGURE 13 is a fragmentary view of a brush arrangement for use with thecleaning aid of the present invention;

FIGURE 14 schematically illustrates the path of the guide float systemalong the inner periphery of the pool and further illustrates therotation of portions of the cleaning aid apparatus about the stationaryfloat to prevent hose entanglement, successive positions of the cleaningaid components being shown in phantom;

FIGURE 15 is a plan view illustrating the manner in which the guidefloat system maneuvers at the corners of a pool, successive positionsbeing illustrated in phantom; and

FIGURE 16 is a plan view illustrating the manner in which the guidefloat system automatically returns to the side of the pool subsequent tobeing dislodged therefrom.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIG- URE 1 thereof, apool cleaning aid in accordance with the invention is shown installed ina typical pool having a deck 12, bottom 13, and sides 14-17. A ladder 19extends from the deck 12 along the side 15 and is typical of theobstructions encountered by the pool cleaning aid in moving along theinner periphery of the pool defined by the sides 14-17. Although thepool in FIGURE 1 is shown to have a rectangular configuration, this isby Way of example only, and it is to be understood that the poolcleaning aid of the present invention may be used in pools of any sizeand shape.

Briefly, and in general terms, the improved cleaning aid of ourinvention includes a master or stationary float 21 which is buoyantlysupported in a fixed position upon the surface of the water at or nearthe center of the pool. The master float 21 provides a hub, or centralbase of operation, about which the remaining portions of the cleaningaid apparatus continually rotate during the cleaning process. A guidefloat 23 abuts the side walls of the pool at the water surface andcontinually moves around the pool along the inner periphery.

A system of floating conduits 25-27, from which a plurality of submergedflexible hoses 29 extend, in pendent relation, to the bottom 13 of thepool, are connected between the stationary float 21 and the moving guidefloat 23. With this arrangement, the range of coverage of the hoses 29effectively encompasses the entire submerged surface area of the pool,as the hose support system is continually rotated about the master float21 at the center of the pool and is also conveyed to every nook andcranny at the sides of the pool by the guide float 23 moving along theinner periphery.

Means are also provided, in accordance with our invention, for insuringthat the guide float 23 continually abuts the sides 14-17 of the pool,for enabling the guide float to turn itself at the corners 31 or anyother contoured portion of the pool without jamming or binding, and tocircumvent obstructions such as the ladder 19 during the cleaningoperation and then return to its normal operating position against theside of the pool. In view of this automatic capability of the guidefloat 23 to hug the sides of the pool in its movement about thestationary float 21, it will be apparent that the pool cleaning aid ofour invention can be adapted to pools of any size and shape by merelyaltering the total length of the conduits extending between the floats21 and 23.

Referring now to FIGURES 1 and 4, the stationary center of the pool forthe rotating conduit system of the cleaning aid. Although the float 21is shown as being toroidal in FIGURES 1 and 4, other float shapes may beused without in any way departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention.

A hollow fitting 33 having a pair of diametrically opposed, outwardlyextending rod-like arms 35, 36 is located at the center of the float 21.The arms 35, 36 extend into the float 21 through a pair of holesprovided for that purpose. Each of the arms 35, 36 carries an adjustablecollar 38, so that the arms can be shifted along their longitudinal axesto alter the relative position of the central fitting 33 with respect tothe float 21.

The fitting 33 is provided with an internally threaded bore forreceiving and coupling the ends of two relatively short and rigid fluidconduits 39, 40. The upper conduit 39 is connected through aright-angled elbow 42 to a fluid-tight swivel 44 having a horizontallydisposed axis of rotation. The lower conduit 40 is connected to asimilar swivel 46 having a vertically disposed axis of rotation.

The entire assembly of the float 21 and the hardware it supports ispositioned at the center of the pool by a long, rigid conduit 48 havingone end connected, through appropriate fittings, to the swivel 44, andhaving its opposite end supported by a mounting base 50 resting on thedeck 12 of the pool. The end of the conduit 48 supported by the baseplate 56 is connected to a fluid supply line 52, such as an ordinarygarden hose, which is, in turn, connected to a high pressure watersupply outlet 54.

By selecting a conduit 48 of proper length, or, alternatively, by usingan extremely long conduit and moving the mounting base 50 closer orfurther away from the edge of the pool, the float 21 can be centeredalong one dimension of the pool, i.e., midway between the pool sides 15and 17. Centering of the float 21 along the other dimension, i.e.,midway between sides 14 and 16, is very simply accomplished by movingthe mounting base 50 parallel to the side 15 to an appropriate positionon the pool deck. Once the float 21 has been centered in this manner, nofurther adjustment of the pool cleaning aid is required.

The height of the conduit 48 above the surface of the water in the poolmust be suflicient to provide clearance for the guide float 23 when theguide float passes under the conduit in moving along the sides of thepool. By virtue of the swivel 44, the connection between the conduit 48and the fittings supported by the float 21 is unaffected by changes ofwater level in the pool, since the conduit 48 can pivot up or down aboutthe swivel axis to compensate for alterations in float elevation.

Water under pressure passes through the conduit 48, enters the top ofthe fluid conduit system supported by the float 21, and exits through anelbow fitting 56 at the base of the float supported conduit system. Fromthe elbow 56, the water is directed to the remaining portions of theconduit system embodied by the cleaning aid. Because of the verticalaxis of the swivel 46, the remaining portions of the cleaning aidapparatus are able to rotate about the float 21 and still receive thenecessary fluid supply.

Referring now to FIGURES 1 and 5, the fluid output from the elbow 56below the stationary float 21 enters one end of a rigid conduit 58 whichis bent at 59 and 60 so that the conduit inclines upwardly to the watersurface from the submerged level of the elbow 56. A buoyant supportmeans, such as a float 62 of foam plastic or the like, surrounds theupper portion of the conduit 58 in a collar-like fashion to maintain theupper portion of the conduit at the surface of the water.

A substantially horizontally extending discharge nozzle 64 projects fromthe upper end of the conduit 48 remote from the elbow 56. The reactionforce of the jet stream issuing from the nozzle 64 provides a propulsiveforce for rotating the conduit 58, float 62, and remaining portions ofthe cleaning aid apparatus coupled thereto in a clockwise path about theswivel 46'and float 21 as seen in FIG URE l. Rotation of the conduitsystem about the float 21 prevents kinking or entanglement of thevarious conduits when the other end of the'conduit system is conveyed ina similar clockwise path by the guide float 23. As will be observed inFIGURE 6, the discharge nozzle 64 is directed slightly below thehorizontal plane, so that the jet. stream issuing from the nozzle willalways impinge on the water surface, and thereby improve the propulsionefliciency of the nozzle.

The rigid conduit 58 is coupled at 66 to the flexible conduit whichfloats upon the surface of the water. As will be apparent in FIGURES 7and 8, the flexible conduit 25 includes a plurality of flotationchambers 68 along its length to render the conduit buoyant. As observedin FIGURE 8, the conduit 25 is coupled to the conduit 58 by insertingthe conduit 58 into the central, fluid passage of-the conduit 25 andthen clenching the combined structure with an external collar 70, tosecure the two conduits together and simultaneously seal oil. theflotation chambers 68 so that the air cannot be displaced by waterleaking into the flotation chambers.

As best seen in FIGURESl and 2, the floating conduit 25 is connected toa similar floating conduit 26 which is, in turn, connected to a thirdfloatingconduit 27. Connection between the floating conduits isaccomplished by way of a T-coupling 75, oriented as shown in FIGURE 2 toprovide a downwardly extending coupling leg '76 to which one end of thesubmerged flexible hose 29 is connected. Each of the submerged hoses 29is therefore supported in pendent relation to the floating conduits25-27 and is of sufilcient length to reach and lie upon the bottom 13 ofthe pool for all water levels. A float 80 surrounds each of thejunctions between the floating conduits 25-27 and the submerged hoses 29to buoyantly r'einforcethe floating conduits against being pulled downby the submerged hoses.

The remote end of each of the submerged hoses 29 is provided with afluid discharge nozzle 82 having a central jetorifice 84 of smalldiameter. The end face 85 of the nozzle 82 is provided witha deep Vshaped groove 86 extending across the full width of the face and havingan apex which intersects the axis of the orifice 84,. The groove 8-6spreads or fans the spray pattern of the discharge nozzle 84 in thedirection of the groove axis, so that the field of coverage of the sprayis enhanced during the cleaning operation. The reaction forcedue to thewater escaping under pressure from each of the discharge nozzles 82imparts a writhing, sinuous motion to the submerged flexible hoses 29and causes the hoses to not only whip about the bottom 13 of the pool,but up adjacent sides of the pool as well.

As observed in FIGURES 1 and 13, each of the submerged hoses 29 carriesa plurality of helical brush elements 90 wound around the hose 2? atanumber of locations along the length of the hose,'each brush elementbeing held in position by a pair of spacing collars 92 of foam plasticor the like. The'brush elements 99 provide spacers between the hoses29'and the submerged surfaces of'the pool, to're'duc'e hose drag andhence minimize hose wear. The brushes 90 also provide an abrasive actionto aid' in dislodging foreign matter from the pool surfaces. The collars92, by virtue of theirbuo'yant characteristics, tend to reduce theeffective mass of each of the hoses 29 and thus further reduce hosedragJ However, the, buoyant eflect of the collars is insufi'icient tocause the hoses 29 to float and thus'serve only to reduce the loadpresented by the hoses to the reaction forces of the discharge nozzles82.

The structure of the guide float system will be apparent from FIGURES9-l2. The guide float 23 is fabricated.

in the shapeof a toroid or wheel and may be 'of any appropriate buoyantmaterial, such as foam plastic or the like. The float 23 is providedwith apluralityof radially extending holes for receipt of the ends ofrigid fluid conduits 95 which intersect in a common fluid coupling 96.at the toroidal center of the float. The underside of the coupling 96 isconnected to a swivel 98 similar to the swivel 46 in FIGURE 4 and alsohaving a vertically disposed axis of rotation. The base of the swivel98. is connected by a short conduit 1% and elbow M2 to a rigid fluidconduit 104 which extends to the water surface and is buoyed by a float1% in the manner and configuration of the conduit 58 and float 62 inFIGURE 5. The provision of a substantially horizontally disposeddischarge nozzle Edd at the end of the conduit 104 remote from the float23, as well as the manner of coupling the rigid conduit 104 to thefloating conduit 27 also essentially duplicates the correspondingstructure in FIGURE 5.

Each of the radial conduits 95 is sealed off at its outer end 116 and isprovided with a substantially horizontally extending discharge nozzle H2at the side of the conduit. All of the nozzles 112 are directed toprovide reactive propulsive forces, when water sprays from the nozzles,such that the nozzles 112, float 23, and radial conduits 95 will allrotate counterclockwise about the axis of the swivel 93, as seen inFIGURE 10. This rotary action of the float 23 aids in rolling the guidefloat along the side walls of the pool as the guide float system movesclockwise along the inner periphery of the pool in FIGURE 1.

A portion of the float 23 surrounding the outer endof each conduit 95and nozzle 112 is removed to provide a clearance pocket 1% for thesestructures and to enable the jet stream from the nozzle to strike thewater surface. In this connection, it will be observed in FIGURES 9 and11 that the nozzles 112 are directed slightly below the horizontal planeto enhance propulsion efficiencyfin the same manner as the nozzle 64 inFIGURE 6.

Although. rotation of the float 23 by the nozzles 112 has some tendencyto i the sides of the pool, the friction between the surface of thefloat 23 and the wet side walls is minimal.

would normally prove too slow for most purposes. To increase thepropulsive force for moving the guide float 23, along the pool sides, apair of parallel, horizontally extending nozzles 116, 117 project from acommon side,

at opposite ends respectively, of a conduit 121) afiixed to.

and in fluid communication with the conduit I06. below the swivel 533.By virtue of their location below the.

swivel 98, the nozzles H6, 1117 do not rotate with the float 23, butrather direct a constant force component.

in the direction of translational movement of the guide float 23 alongthe pool sides.

The conduit 12%} carrying discharge nozzles 1116, 117

is angled slightly, as best observed in FIGURES 9 and 10, to provide acounterclockwise angle in the. horizontal planeof slightly more thandegrees with the conduit 104,. In this manner, the resultant propulsiveforce of the nozzles 116, 117 has a small force component directedinwardly towards the side of the pool, so that the float 23 has atendency to hug the inner periphery of the pool and resist'deflectionaway from the pool sides. In the absence of this angular orientation, aswhere the resultant force of the nozzles I16, 117 is parallel to theconduit ldd there is a tendency for the guide float system to wanderaway from the sides of the pool or be readily diverted by various poolobstructions.

Referring now to FIGURE 14, the over-all operation propel the guidefloat system along Therefore, propelling the guide. float system by thismeans alone about the stationary float 21, by virtue of the propulsiveeffect of the discharge nozzle 64. Hence, both ends of the flexibleconduit system are rotated clockwise about the center of the pool, andthere is substantially no tendency for the conduit system to kink orbecome entangled. As the float 23 moves along the sides of the pool, theconduit 104 trails behind the float and is very nearly parallel to thepool sides. This is due to the viscous shear forces which, when theconduit 1114 is being pulled by the float 23, tend to override theinwardly directed reactive force of the nozzle 108.

The manner in which the guide float 23 maneuvers corners is bestobserved in FIGURE 15. When the guide float 23 initially makes contactwith the side 14 at the corner 31, the conduit 194 is in its normalposition A shown in phantom and nearly parallel to the side 17 of thepool. However, as soon as the float 23 ceases its translational movementand becomes lodged in the corner 31, the forces of viscous shearpreviously overriding the effects of the discharge nozzle 1% diminish,so that the reactive force at nozzle 1G8 rotates the conduit 19- towardsthe side 17 about an axis through the swivel g8 in FIGURES 9 and 10.Rotation of the conduit 104 to position B causes like rotation of theconduit 120, so that the propulsive forces of the nozzles 116, 117 areredirected to provide a small force component parallel to the pool side14. The latter causes the float 23 to gradually move out of the corner31 and resume its normal translational motion along the inner peripheryof the pool. As the float 23 moves away from the corner 31, the conduit104 resumes a normal position C trailing behind the guide float parallelto pool side 14. Deeply recessed contours and sharp bends can bemaneuvered by the guide float 23 in the same manner as illustrated forthe corner 31 in FIGURE 15.

Referring now to FIGURE 16, the manner in which the guide float systemautomatically returns to the side of the pool after being dislodgedtherefrom, as by the obstruction 125, will be observed. Position 23Ashows the guide float under normal conditions prior to being dislodgedfrom the side of the pool. Position 2313 represents the dislodgedposition of the guide float, and 23C represents a position of the guidefloat during its return to the side of the pool.

When the guide float system, including guide float 23 and conduit 104,is jarred away from the side of the pool, by any cause, the system willhave a tendency to pivot about a vertical axis through the centroid orcenter of mass of the system. This centroid will lie along the conduit104, closer to the guide float end of the conduit than the end carryingthe discharge nozzle 108. Hence, in order for the guide float 23 to turninwardly, towards the side of the pool, rather than being turned furtheraway from the pool side, the sum of the moments about the centroid ofthe system must be counterclockwise. Since the discharge nozzle 108 willproduce a rather large clockwise moment, this clockwise moment must becancelled out by the counterclockwise moments about the centroid due todischarge nozzles 116, 117. However, discharge nozzle 116, by virtue ofits orientation, will produce either an additional clockwise moment oran extremely small counterclockwise moment. Therefore, discharge nozzle117 must provide virtually all of the counterclockwise moment necessaryto balance out the clockwise moments acting on the system and theadditional counterclockwise moment necessary to return the float 23 tothe pool side. For this reason, and as best observed in FIGURE 12, thedischarge nozzle 117 is made larger than the discharge nozzle 116 tosatisfy the necessary moment requirements.

The swimming pool cleaning aid of the present invention satisfies along-existing need for a relatively simple, yet automatic cleaningdevice which is eflicient, requires virtually no skill to install, andis capable of use in pools of virtually any size and shape.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that, while a 8 particular formof our invention has been illustrated and described, variousmodifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope ofour invention. Accordingly, we do not intend that our invention belimited, except as by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A swimming pool cleaning aid comprising:

a first float for placement at a substantially stationary positionwithin a pool;

a second float;

means for continually moving said second float along the side walls ofsaid pool, and in constant contact therewith, in a single direction onlyabout said first float;

and fluid conduit means coupled between said first and said secondfloats.

2. A swimming pool cleaning aid comprising:

a second float;

flexible conduit means connected between said first and said secondfloats;

means for rotating one end of said flexible conduit means continuouslyin a single direction about said first float;

means for propelling said second float continuously along the innerperiphery of said pool;

and a flexible, submergible hose having a discharge nozzle at one endthereof and having its opposite end coupled to said flexible conduitmeans in pendent relation thereto.

3. Automatic cleaning apparatus for use in a swimming pool having sidewalls and a bottom wall, said apparatus comprising:

a substantially stationary float;

a movable float;

flexible conduit means coupled between said stationary and said movablefloats;

means for rotating one end of said flexible conduit fimeans, in a singledirection only, about said stationary oat;

means for simultaneously biasing said movable float against the sideWalls of said pool and for propelling said movable float continuouslyabout said stationary float while abutting said side walls; and aplurality of flexible, submergible hoses, each hose having a dischargenozzle at one end thereof and having its opposite end supported in fluidcommunication with said flexible conduit means and in pendent relationthereto, each of said hoses being of suflicient length to engage thebottom wall of said pool regardless of the water level in said pool. 4.Automatic pool cleaning apparatus comprising: a stationary float; amovable float; conduit means having first and second remote ends, saidfirst end being coupled to said stationary float, said second end beingcoupled to said movable float;

first discharge nozzle means for continually rotating said first end ofsaid conduit means in a single direction about said stationary float;

and second discharge nozzle means for moving said second end of saidconduit means continuously about said stationary float in the samedirection of rotation as said first end of said conduit means is movedby said first discharge nozzle means and to keep said movable floatmoving along and in contact with the side walls of a pool.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein said second dischargenozzle means includes first and second nozzles for simultaneouslybiasing said movable float against the side walls of the pool whileimparting movement to said float along said side walls, and a thirdnozzle for controlling the position of said first and second nozzles toenable said movable float to follow and maneuver contours in said sidewalls without jamming.

- 9 6.'Automatic cleaning apparatus for use in a swimming pool havingside walls, and abottomwall', said apparatus comprising: 1 t t agenerally stationary float positioned substantially at the center ofsaid pool; a movable float; flexible conduit means extending between andcoupled to said stationary and-said movable floats; means to buoyantlysupport said flexible conduit means upon the surface of 'the'water; aplurality of elongated, flexible, submergible hoses, each hose having adischarge nozzle at one 'end thereof and having its opposite endsupported in fluid communication'with said-flexible conduitmeans and inpendent relation thereto, each hose'being of sufficient length to extendto the bottom wall of said P first and second substantially parallelnozzles carried by said movable floatfor providing a resultant reactiveforce simultaneously biasing said movable float againstthe"side"'w'allsof said pool and moving said float along 'said'sid'ewalls, said second nozzle being larger than saidfirst nozzle and beingspaced further away from [said side wallsv than said first nozzle assaid float moves along said side walls; and additional nozzle meanscommunicating with said first and second nozzles through rigid conduitmeans, said additional nozzle means controlling the direction of saidfirst and second nozzles, whereby said movable float can maneuvercontours, corners and bends. 7. A swimming pool cleaning aid,comprising: a generally stationary float adapted for positioningsubstantially at the center of a pool; first rigid conduit means havingfirst and second ends,

the first end being rotatably supported by said stationary float; anelongated, flexible conduit means having first and second remote ends,the first end of said flexible conduit means being coupled to the secondend of said first rigid conduit means; i means for buoyantly supportingsaid flexible conduit means on the surface of the water; a movable floatadapted to follow the inner periphery of said pool; second rigid conduitmeans having first and second ends, the first end being supported bysaid movable float, the second end being coupled to the second end ofsaid flexible conduit means; a plurality of elongated, flexible,submergible hoses, each having a discharge nozzle at one end thereof tocause said hose to writhe with a sinuous motion' upon passage of fluidthrough said discharge nozzle, the other end of each hose beingsupported in fluid communication with said flexible conduit means and inpendent relation thereto, each hose being of sufficient length to reachthe bottom of said pool at all water levels; first discharge nozzlemeans at the second end of said first rigid conduit means to continuallyrotate said conduit means in a single direction about said stationaryfloat; second discharge nozzle means for imparting movement to saidmovable float along the sides of said pool while simultaneously biasingsaid float into abutment with said pool sides; and third dischargenozzle means carried at the second end of said second rigid conduitmeans for altering the direction of said second discharge nozzle meansin response to changes of contour in said pool sides. 8. A swimming poolcleaning aid as set forth in claim 7, wherein said second dischargenozzle means includes a pair of parallel nozzles of unequal size, saidnozzles being coupled by a rigid conduit forming an angle 1t) projectedinto a horizontal plane of greater than degrees with said second'rigid'conduit means. i

9. A swimming pool cleaning aidJas setforth in claim 7, wherein each ofthe discharge nozzles at the ends of said flexible, submergiblehoses'includes means for spreading the water spray pattern aswater isdischarged through the nozzle.

l0. A'swimming pool cleaning aid as set forth in claim 7,.wherein saidmovable float is toroidal in shape'and is adapted to rotate about itsown toroidal axis in moving along the sides of said pool. e

11. Apparatus as set forth in claim 10, including a plurality ofperipheral discharge 1 nozzles carried by said toroidal float forrotating said float.

- 12. A swimming pool cleaning aid as 'set forth in claim '7, whereineach of said flexible, submergible hoses is provided with at least onehelical brush wound about the hose.

13. Automatic cleaning apparatus for use in a swimming pool having sidewalls 'and a bottom wall, said apparatus comprising: i

a stationary float for positioning at the center of a first rigidconduit means supported by said stationary float and having upper andlower ends;

an elongated, rigid fluid supply conduit extending from the pool deck tosaid stationary float;

a first swivel having a horizontal axis of rotation and coupling saidfluid supply conduit to the upper end of said first rigid conduit means;

second rigid conduit means having first and second ends;

a second swivel having a vertical axis of rotation and coupled to thelower end of said first rigid conduit means;

means for coupling the first end of said second rigid conduit means tosaid second swivel;

a plurality of flexible, floating conduits coupled together and havingfirst and second remote ends, the first end of said flexible conduitsbeing connected to the second end of said second rigid conduit means;

a toroidal, movable float adapted to simultaneously rotate about its owntoroidal axis while moving along the inner periphery of said pool;

a plurality of substantially horizontally extending peripheral dischargenozzles carried by said toroidal float for rotating said float;

third rigid conduit means having first and second ends, the first endbeing connected to the second end of said flexible conduits;

a third swivel having a vertical axis, said third swivel being carriedby said toroidal float;

means for coupling the second end of said third rigid conduit means tosaid third swivel;

a plurality of elongated, flexible, submergible hoses,

each hose having a discharge nozzle at one end thereof for imparting asinuous motion to the hose upon discharge of water through the nozzle,each hose being supported by said floating flexible conduits in fluidcommunication therewith and in pendent relation thereto, each hose beingof sufficient length to extend to the bottom wall of said pool;

a first substantially horizontally extending nozzle at the second end ofsaid second rigid conduit means for continuously rotating said conduitmeans in a single direction only about said stationary float;

a pair of parallel, substantially horizontally extending nozzles ofunequal size joined by a rigid conduit; means to rigidly couple saidrigid conduit to said third rigid conduit means whereby said rigidconduit forms an angle projected into a horizontal plane in excess of 90degrees with respect to said third rigid conduit means;

and substantially horizontally extending discharge nozzle means at thefirst end of said third rigid conduit means for controlling the positionof said third 1 1 rigid conduit means, whereby said pair of parallelnozzles may be directed to propel said toroidal float along side wallsof any contour.

14. An automatic cleaning apparatus as set forth in claim 13, whereinsaid floating conduits include flotation chambers along their entirelength.

15. Automatic cleaning apparatus as set forth in claim 13, wherein eachof said flexible, submergible hoses carries a plurality of helical brushelements wound about said hose, each brush element being bounded at bothends by a pair of buoyant collars carried upon the hose.

16. In combination with a flexible, submergible hose:

a helical brush wound about said hose and having its helical axiscoaxial with the longitudinal axis of said hose;

and a pair of spacer collars of buoyant material carried upon said hose,one collar at each end of said brush.

17. In a swimming pool cleaning aid apparatus, the combinationcomprising:

a toroidal float;

means for rotating said toroidal float about its toroidal axis;

first rigid conduit means having one end rotatably coupled to said floatat the toroidal axis thereof;

a pair of substantially parallel nozzles of unequal size;

second rigid conduit means coupling said pair of nozzles to said firstrigid conduit means and forming an angle projected into a horizontalplane in excess of degrees with said first rigid conduit means;

and nozzle means at the end of said first rigid conduit means oppositethat rotatably coupled to said float for altering the direction of saidfirst and said second rigid conduit means and said pair of nozzles.

18. A combination as set forth in claim 17, wherein said means forrotating said toroidal float about its toroidal axis includes aplurality of peripheral discharge nozzles carried by said float.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,975,791 3/61Pansini 151.7 X 2,982,971 5/61 Garaway 15-1.? X 3,032,041 5/62 Pansini151.7 X

CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner.

1. A SWIMMING POOL CLEANING AID COMPRISING: A FIRST FLOAT FOR PLACEMENT AT A SUBSTANTIALLY STATIONARY POSITION WITHIN A POOL; A SECOND FLOAT; MEANS FOR CONTINUALLY MOVING SAID SECOND FLOAT ALONG THE SIDE WALLS OF SAID POOL, AND IN CONSTANT CONTACT THEREWITH, IN A SINGLE DIRECTION ONLY ABOUT SAID FIRST FLOAT; AND FLUID CONDUIT MEANS COUPLED BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SAID SECOND FLOATS. 